Susan Bandecchi and Lisa Pigato meet in the Caldas da Rainha WTA 125 quarterfinal on Friday, September 18, at 15:00 UTC. Bandecchi owns the smoother run-in; the more interesting question is whether she owns four games of margin.
Bandecchi has rhythm; Pigato keeps the ball low
Bandecchi dismissed world No. 208 Viktoria Hruncakova 6-3, 6-2 in 71 minutes in the previous round. That followed an Aldershot title and two US Open qualifying wins, with her forehand again doing most of the useful work on hard courts.
Pigato required three sets to beat No. 252 Kajsa Rinaldo Persson, recovering from a poor middle set to win 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. Her serve remains the less dependable shot, but her low, early-struck groundstrokes can hurry Bandecchi and restrict the Swiss player’s preferred forehand setup.
Favouritism is one question; four games is another
Bandecchi deserves to start as favourite, but this handicap asks for sustained control. Pigato returns assertively, and her willingness to hold a flat baseline position should produce enough awkward service games to keep the margin contained.
A Bandecchi win by 6-4, 7-5 would still suit Pigato’s backers, as would any deciding set or outright upset. With Pigato also showing that she can reset after a bad set, +3.5 games is the useful side of the line.
Prediction: Lisa Pigato +3.5 games, odds 1.88
